Steering mechanism.



Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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WITNESSES:

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lil ll JOHN AUGUSTUS SEELY, OF OGDENSBURG, NEW YORK.

STEERING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 30, 1909.

Application filed March 27, 1998. Serial No. eaasoe.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J 01m iiue'us'r'us Sunny, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ogdensburg, in the county of St. Lawrence and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Steering lltlechanisms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to certain new and useful improvements in steering mechanisms especially employed in conjunction with motor boats, and has for its object to generally improve, simplify, increase the efficiency and lessen the cost of manufacture of mechanisms of this type.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism which will positively retain the sprocket chain in its relation to the sprocket wheel of the steering post, and prevent fouling or disengagement of such parts.

Further and other objects will appear in the course of the following specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a side elevation, partly in section of the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 2, is top plan view showing the cover plate removed and the steering post in section, Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the cover, Fig. 4:, is a view similar to Fig. 1, of a modification, Fig. 5, is a view of said modification showing the cover plate removed and the steering post in section, Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the cover plate employed in the modification, and Fig. 7, is side elevation of one of the trunnion holders employed in both the preferred form and the modification of the invention.

By reference to Figs. 1 to 3, it will be observed that a plate 1, is employed, preferably of the shape depicted for the purpose of economy of material. Integral with the upper face of plate 1, are two enlargements or blocks 2 which may be cast integral therewith, each block or enlargement having an inner or curved face 8, whose function it is to serve as rigid guides against which the sprocket chain 4: works. There is a 'uide block at each end of plate 1, as manifested by Fig. 2.

Plate 1, is stationarily supported by means of trunnions 5, which are preferably cast integral therewith, the trunnions being offset from the plate and connected thereto by the webs or arms 6. Each trunnion 5, is received in a holder, shown more clearly in Fig. 7, wherein it will be noted that a base plate 7 is formed integral with a confining arm 8, there being an opening 9, formed in the base and arm of shape to conformably receive the trunnions 5. In order to immovably retain the trunnions, arm 8 at its free end is equipped with a bolt 10, which projects in a threaded opening in base plate 7, whereby an adjustable clamping effect may be obtained on the trunnions. As depicted in Figs. 1, and 2, the trunnion holders abut the ends of plate 1, and thereby secure the parts with added rigidity. Bolts 11, are employed to secure the base plates 7, in position.

The steering post is generally indicated at 12, and embodies the usual hand wheel 13 at its upper end and at its lower end is equipped with a sprocket wheel 1 1, which latter seats on base 1, and is keyed to the sleeve 17, of the post 12, as at 15. Sleeve 1?, at its lower end rotatably surrounds a smaller sleeve or tubular extension 15, which projects upwardly from base 1, and may be cast integral therewith. The rod or shaft 18, which forms a component part of the post extends through sleeves 17 and 15 and penetrates plate 1, being provided with a threaded projecting end beyond said plate wl ich receives nut 19, to secure the rod or shaft 18 in its proper relation to the plate.

F or the purpose of not only protecting the chain the sprocket wheel and the guide blocks against the interference of collective foreign matter or substances, but in addition to also serve as a means of confining the chain to its sprocket, a cover plate 20, is employed which seats on the top faces of the bearing or guide blocks and is secured thereto, as by bolts 21, which pass through alining apertures 22, 23 formed in the blocks 2 and the cover plate 20, respectively, being threaded into the blocks. Cover plate 20, as an additional precautionary measure is formed with a depending integral rim or flange 2%, at its ends and along its curved rear side as illustrated in dotted lines Fig. 2. It will thus be observed that the chain is reliably secured against up or down movement due to its being confined between two spaced parallel plates, the prevention of any tendency to outward movement of the chain being provided for by the flange or rim at the rear of cover plate 20, and the curved bearing faces of the guide blocks 2.

The modification illustrated in Figs. i, 5 and 6, conte iplates the substitution of side sprockets 25, in lieu of the bearing blocks 2, employed in the preferred form. The side sprockets 25, hear the same relative position to the plate 1, assumed by the blocks 2, but inasmuch as they are freely rotatable they partake of the movement of and are positively driven by chain a. in this form of the invention all of the pa ts are constructed and assembled in the precise identical form as shown in the preferred form with two eX- ceptions first that supplemental plates 26' are employed which are secured to the top face of plate 1 to provide arresting means for any downward tendency of movement of the chain, these supplemental plates being necessitated by virtue of the increased size of the side sprockets as compared with the bearing blocks 2. The second exception resides in the cover plate 20, which has a slightly different conformation in that its ends are rounded and its rim 2d, seats on the rear of plate 1, and supplemental plates 26 to thereby withhold the cover plate from seating on the upper faces of the side sprockets so as to not retard free rotation of the latter.

The chain in each instance at its ends has connection with the rudder as is well known and familiar to those versed in the art.

What is claimed is 1- l. A steering mechanism of the type displayed embodying a pair of spaced plates, rigid curved guide blocks at the ends of said plates and arranged between the latter, a post having a sprocket wheel disposed between said plates, and a chain engaging over said sprocket wheel and with said guide blocks.

2. A steering mechanism of the type set forth, consisting of a pair of spaced plates, a post having a sprocket wheel disposed between said plates, a chain in the space be tween said plates engaging said sprocket wheel, a vertical flange carried by one of said plates at the front thereof and means at the ends of said plates to engage said chain and prevent outward movement thereof.

3. A steering mechanism embodying a post having a sprocket wheel, and a sprocket chain engaging the same, a pair of plates arranged on opposite sides of said wheel to prevent up or down movement of said chain, means between said plates and at the ends thereof to prevent outward movement of said chain and further means extending across the space between said plates at the front thereof to also prevent outward movement of said chain.

4. A steering mechanism embodying a post having a sprocket wheel secured thereto, a chain engaging said wheel, a plate to which said post is rotatably related, trunnions at the ends of said plate projecting outwardly therefrom, holders for said trunnions, means on said plate to engage said chain and prevent outward movement thereof, and a co er plate having a rim to further assist in preventing outward movement of. said chains.

5. A steering i'nechanism embodying a post having a sprocket wheel secured thereto, chain engaging with said wheel, a plate 7 on which said post is rotatably mounted, a trunnion at each end of said plate projecting outwardly therefrom and offset rrom the same so as to lie in adiii erent horizontal plane, holders for said trunnions abutting the ends of said plate, means on said plate to engage with said chain and prevent outward movement thereof, and a cover plate having a rim to also prevent outward movement of the chain.

6. A steering mechanism composed of a post, a sprocket wheel secured thereto, a chain engaging said wheel, a plate to which said post is rotatably connected, and stationary curved guide blocks on'said plate atv the ends of the latter to engage with said chain. 7

7. A steering mechanism composed of a post, a sprocket wheel thereon, a chain engaging said wheel, plate to which said post is rotatably connected, trunnions rigidly connected to said plate and offset from the same so as to lie in a lower horizontal plane than the latter, holders for said trunnions, and means on the plate to prevent outward movement of the chain with respect thereto.

A steering mechanism of the type displayed composed of a post, a sprocket wheel Y thereon, a chain engaging with said wheel,

a plate to which said post is rotatably con-' nected, trunnions rigidly connected with said plate and offset from the same so as to lie in a lower horizontal plane than the plate, blocks having curved bearing faces stationarily mounted on said plate to enwith said chain, holders for the trunnions, and a cover plate seating on the top faces of said blocks and having a depending rim to prevent outward movement of the chain.

9. in a steering mechanism, a plate, a sprocket seating thereon, a chain engaging said sprocket, a tubular extension, rigid with said plate, a shaft projecting through said extension and having a nut thereon bearing against the under side of said plate and a sleeve rotatably surrounding said tubular extension and secured to said sprocket.

10. In a steering mechanism, a plate, a sprocket seating on the plate, a chain engaging said sprocket, a tubular extension, rigid with said plate, a sleeve surrounding said extension and rigidly connected to said sprocket, and means to rotatably relate said sleeve to said plate.

11. A. steering mechanism embodying a post having a sprocket thereon, a chain engaging said sprocket, means on the opposite sides of said sprocket to engage and guide said chain, and means to inclose said sprocket and said guiding means formed to engage the chain to thereby prevent the same from leaving said sprocket at the front thereof.

19.. in a steering mechanism, a plate, trunnions carried by said plate and projecting outwardly therefrom, holders having portions to receive said trunnions, a sprocket rotatably mounted on said plate, and a chain engaging said sprocket.

13. In a steering mechanism, a plate, trunnions carried by said plate and being oflset therefrom, holders receiving said trunnions for securing said plate in stationary position, a sprocket rotatably mounted on said plate, and a chain engaging said sprocket.

14. In a steering mechanism, a bottom plate, curved guide and bearing blocks rigidly mounted on the top face of said bottom plate, a top plate seating on the top faces of said guide and bearing blocks, a sprocket mounted between said plates, a chain engaging over said sprocket Wheels, said chain engaging said curved guide and bearing blocks, and a flange extending to close the space between the plates at the front thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

. J OHN AUGUSTUS SEELY.

lVitnesses F. K. MERLEND, R. E. VVATERMAN. 

